


displays of adult male friendship

by soundboardkittens



Series: friends, in weird places [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Bisexual Steve Harrington, Established Relationship, Gay Billy Hargrove, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, POV Outsider, Post-Season/Series 03, Recreational Drug Use, Secret Relationship, sometimes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:00:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28019655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soundboardkittens/pseuds/soundboardkittens
Summary: Nancy and Jonathan are so close to figuring out that Billy and Steve are more than friends, but no cigar.---Jonathan did not know what to think when his mom came home from the hospital after visiting Billy Hargrove and announcing that he would be would staying with them when he was released. He did not remember Billy being a kind person in high school but he had saved everyone’s life so, his mom must have saw something in him that made him an okay person. Will and El both seemed to get along with him due to their shared experiences and he had heard through the grape vine that he apologized to all the kids and Steve Harrington for what happened last November.Once he was finally released and moved into the Byer’s household, Jonathon was surprised to find that they got along just fine. Billy was always kind and helpful to his mother, he would chat with Will and be interested in what he was saying, and after a shared joint or two between them and bonding over their terrible fathers, Jonathan began considering him a friend. Nancy and Billy did not get along very well but it wasn’t like they were at each other’s throats so he considered it a win.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington, Jonathan Byers/Nancy Wheeler
Series: friends, in weird places [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2109876
Comments: 8
Kudos: 136





	displays of adult male friendship

Jonathan did not know what to think when his mom came home from the hospital after visiting Billy Hargrove and announcing that he would be would staying with them when he was released. He did not remember Billy being a kind person in high school but he had saved everyone’s life so, his mom must have saw something in him that made him an okay person. Will and El both seemed to get along with him due to their shared experiences and he had heard through the grape vine that he apologized to all the kids and Steve Harrington for what happened last November. 

Once he was finally released and moved into the Byer’s household, Jonathon was surprised to find that they got along just fine. Billy was always kind and helpful to his mother, he would chat with Will and be interested in what he was saying, and after a shared joint or two between them and bonding over their terrible fathers, Jonathan began considering him a friend. Nancy and Billy did not get along very well but it wasn’t like they were at each other’s throats so he considered it a win. 

What he wasn’t expecting was how close Steve and Billy had become. He was aware that the two had become friends while Billy was recovering but once Billy started living with them, he wasn’t actually around all too often because he was with Steve.

Jonathan had even asked what they did together, “You know you just seem like an unlikely pair, what do guys do?” They were sitting behind the house sharing a joint. Billy had mentioned he was very appreciative of Jonathon’s generosity because it helped with his pain. 

“Uh, we drink and smoke, play basketball sometimes, watch TV. I don’t know Byers, what do you do with your friends?” 

“This.” Jonathan gestured between them and they both laughed at that. It probably wasn’t worth digging deeper, they were just two guys that liked to hang out, nothing wrong with that.

\---

One day Jonathan was with Nancy at his house, no one else was around except for Billy who had greeted them when he came home from his shift at the Bradley’s Big Buy and then immediately went to the guest room which had become Billy’s room. 

A little bit after that there was a knock at the door. Jonathan answered it and found Steve Harrington, standing casually in a blue sweater, the chill of winter slowly fading away into spring. “Hey Jonathan, Billy’s here right? We were gonna hang out.” 

“Uh, yeah.” Jonathan said moving aside to let Steve in. “Second door on the left.” 

“Cool. Hey Nancy.” Steve said passing through, not even stopping for Nancy to reply. 

\---

Steve opened Billy’s door and shut it behind him. He took in the sight of his boyfriend laying on his bed reading. Billy glanced up at him and gave him a smile before saying, “Hey, give me a sec, I want to finish this page.” 

Steve nodded and walked over to sit on the edge of the bed. To say that Billy and Steve had become close after Starcourt is an understatement. What began as Steve keeping Billy company in the hospital after he apologized became so much more. They had plenty in common, but beyond that they had become each other’s safe havens. Steve who had spent so much time alone, not knowing who he truly was, becoming entwined with Billy, who also spent a lot of time promoting a false self, who had been isolated from love and friendship. They found solace in each other. 

When Billy was finished, he closed the book, tossed it aside, and then immediately moved to be close to Steve. He pushed him down onto the bed to straddle him and gave him a sloppy kiss on the lips in greeting. “Hey.” Billy said with a smile. 

“Hey, yourself.” Steve had been surprised when he first felt those warm feelings when he looked at Billy, realizing that their friendship was something more. He never could have imagined he would fall for a guy let alone Billy Hargrove. Yet after some deep conversations with Robin, he found that magic word, _bisexual_ , and things started to make sense. He began to welcome those warm feelings and was glad when they never seemed to fade away. 

Billy on the other hand knew he was gay for sure when he was thirteen, after just feeling _off_ for most of his life. His father’s instilling about masculinity along with his abuse did not make for a happy childhood, and Billy spent so long shoving parts of himself out of view from others and himself. After experiencing the Mind Flayer’s grasp, he knew something had to change. He had been given a new lease on life and he was not going to waste it by being someone he wasn’t. Thankfully, people like Joyce and her family, along with Max and Steve, had given him a second chance. Things have been going pretty well for Billy these days. 

Billy was sitting on top of his boyfriend, just looking down at soft brown eyes, fluffy hair, and warm smile. He didn’t know how he got so lucky. “How was work?” Steve asked him. Billy rolled off back onto the bed so they were laying side by side staring up at the ceiling. 

“Ass.” 

“Same.” 

The conversation lulled as Billy was focused on the gentle touch of Steve running his fingers up and down Billy’s arm. Eventually Billy asked something on his mind, “Does it bother you that she’s out there?” She, being Nancy. Billy didn’t really have anything against Nancy but felt that it was his job to hold a grudge for Steve because of what she did. He didn’t even care that she had shot at him in July since it was kind of warranted. 

Steve turned his head to look at Billy, “Why would I care about Nancy when I’m in a bed with the hottest person in Indiana?” Billy turned his head in attempt to hide his blush. He would never get used to how naturally charming Steve was.

“Just Indiana?” 

“Yeah, I haven’t really left the Indiana, Michigan, Illinois area, so I can’t definitively say that you’re the hottest person in the world. Probability is high though.” 

“Fair enough.” 

“Why, does it bother you that she’s out there? We can go for a drive or something if you want.” Usually, Steve and Billy hang out Steve’s as much as possible but Steve’s parents had been home for the past few weeks and eventually Steve starts to feel suffocated by their presence that he needed to be somewhere else.

“Nah, I just didn’t want you to feel awkward.” 

“Doesn’t make me feel awkward. I told you I’m over all that. And I’m with you.” Steve sat up and was now looking down at Billy.

“Yeah, sorry. I just didn’t think you had seen them together, like _together_ together.” 

“Yeah, honestly I don’t really care. We all talked things out. We’re cool.” He may have loved Nancy, but looking back it was probably never going to work one way or another, even if Nancy didn’t have feelings for someone else, they just seemed like fundamentally different people after dealing with what they have seen. Now he had Billy, who was there to accept all of Steve’s affections, didn’t care how clingy Steve could be, and was usually just fun to be around. Billy, who was just aching for love and attention was glad Steve was always willing to give it to him. They just seemed to get each other in a way that he wasn’t sure he ever had with Nancy. Steve did find it endearing that Billy seemed to dislike Nancy just for his sake.

“Okay. Cool.” Billy nodded. 

“We can still go somewhere if you want. I don’t think you want to be doing any sexy things if Joyce and Will are supposed to come home tonight.” 

“Yeah, sex in your car?” 

Steve nodded. “For sure. And then we can get dinner after.” Early on in their relationship Billy had been glad that many of his meals he shared with Steve, it meant he wasn’t so much of a burden on Joyce. Now that he had a job, he didn’t worry about it as much because he was able to help out but he still felt fondness every time he would be eating with Steve. It was a simple thing in most relationships, but Billy had never gotten to experience the monotony of said relationships, and he treasured any shared moments with Steve, anything that made him feel like they were a normal couple. 

“Ok, lets get out of here.” 

\---

They heard Billy’s door open and shut and Jonathan sat back down. “Their really close these days, aren’t they?” Nancy asked. 

“Yeah, I guess. Must have had more in common than they thought.” Jonathan shrugged and put his arm around his girlfriend, returning to watching TV like they were doing before Steve knocked.

“I’m surprised Steve would hang out with him after what happened. What do you think they’re doing?” Nancy did not seem to have the same plan for hanging out and was now more concerned about Steve and Billy. 

“I don’t know Nance, I asked him once and he just said they do normal things.” 

“They spend _a lot_ of time together. What if there doing like, hard drugs?” 

Jonathan laughed. “I think they’re only doing soft drugs.” Nancy did not find that amusing. 

“I’m going to snoop on them.” Nancy said, standing up from the couch. Jonathan followed and grabbed her arm before she could make it to the hallway.

“No, you’re not. Stop being nosy. I know you don’t get along with Billy but I do and Will does, I promise you he isn’t a bad guy anymore. Spying on him in his home, while he has a guest, is not going to make him want to warm up to you.” 

Nancy did not find that argument convincing, shook her arm out of his grasp. She headed straight for Billy’s room and was standing there attempting to listen to anything she could hear. Jonathan followed.

“Okay. Let’s get out of here.” They both heard come from the other side of the door. Then the door was opening and Billy and Steve were standing there looking at Nancy and Jonathan.

“Can I help you?” Billy asked, all snark. It was the meanest tone Jonathan had heard from Billy in months. There was no way either of them could talk their way out of this, Billy’s room was at the end of the hallway, the only other room they would have been heading towards was Joyce’s. This was so awkward Jonathan wanted to die. 

“No.” was all Nancy could supply.

Billy shrugged. “C’mon, Harrington.” He said and shouldered Nancy aside to get through the doorway. Nancy and Jonathan were left standing there in silence until they heard the front door open and close. 

“And people think _I’m_ the creepy one.” Jonathan said, in attempt to lighten the mood. Nancy smiled and they both went to his room, he hoped they could save the evening by taking advantage of no one being home.

\---

A week later Jonathan offered an apology to Billy during one of their smoke sessions. 

“Wheeler’s weird man. That the best you could do?” Jonathan did not take it personally. 

“Look, I think you just both don’t like each other for some reason. What if we all hung out sometime? You could invite Steve even.” 

Billy looked like he was considering, Jonathan and Billy got along well, and Billy wormed his way into the hearts of everyone else, he figured both their lives would be easier if he could get along with Nancy. “I’ll have to ask Harrington, but sure.” 

Jonathan considered that a win and hoped their little friend date would go smoothly.

\---

The friend date surprisingly did go smoothly, but Jonathan was starting to suspect something was _different_ about Steve and Billy’s relationship than he previously thought. Steve was cordial with Jonathan and Nancy as always. He even made an effort trying and get Nancy and Billy to get along, bringing up topics that they both had an interest in. It ended up being more spirited debate than friendly conversation between the two, but at least they were talking. 

They went out to eat at the diner and Nancy and Jonathan both watched as Billy took the pickles off his burger and immediately put them on Steve’s plate as if that was something they always did. They watched as Steve would pick off of Billy’s plate throughout the meal and Billy didn’t have one rude thing to say about it. 

Afterward they went to see a movie and Steve handed Billy a handful of cash to which Billy ordered popcorn, one extra-large soda, and various candy from the concession stand. When they sat down, Jonathan next to Billy, Nancy on his other side, and Steve on the other side of Billy. Jonathan watched as Billy sorted out the candy, handing Steve the sour gummy worms and keeping the Junior Mints for himself, and a box of peanut M&Ms were placed on the armrest between them. They shared the popcorn and the soda and Jonathan couldn’t help but notice how often Steve would lean over to whisper something in Billy’s ear and he swears he heard him _giggle_. 

Other than those moments, the night was normal and while Billy and Nancy may not be best friends they didn’t seem to _not_ get along. Jonathan would call it a success.  
However, he did bring up to Nancy how he felt something different about the two guys. “I don’t know maybe your intuition was right. They did seem like really close.” 

“I told you!” 

“I just can’t figure it out. Like I guess they’re just normal friends? I don’t know I never had guy friends like Will did, maybe that’s just what it’s like.”

“Yeah, maybe we aren’t used to seeing displays of adult male friendship.” 

Jonathan nodded. That had to be it.

\---

The following weekend Steve was on a mission. His parents would be home for another week before leaving again for a month to who knows where, and he hadn’t slept in the same bed as Billy for who knows how long. (Three weeks, Steve knew.) Steve knew they both had off on Saturday so he had been planning to sneak into Billy’s room that Friday night.

It was after midnight, he just walked to the Byer’s house, everything was fine until he realized he made the mistake of knocking on the wrong window. He must have gotten the layout of the house flipped around in his head. He was very surprised when Jonathan had opened the window and Nancy was standing behind him, holding her gun.

Steve held his hands up. “It’s just me! Wrong window! Sorry!” he was whisper shouting.

Nancy put the gun down on a dresser. “Billy is on the other side of the house, if that is who you're looking for.” Jonathan said, looking bored and tired. 

“Thanks!” Steve said and walked around the house to what was hopefully Billy’s window. He knocked on his second window of the night and was relived when Billy pulled back the curtain and pushed up the window.

“What the fuck are you doing Harrington?” 

“I missed you.” Was all he could say. 

“You literally saw me yesterday.” Billy said but was reaching out his arms to help Steve into his room. 

When he was in the room Billy got back into bed and Steve was standing next to it. “We haven’t slept together in forever.” Steve kept going before Billy could make some innuendo, they had definitely been sleeping together in a non-literal sense the past few weeks. “I don’t sleep well without you now.” 

Steve could see some red on Billy’s face but he just said, “Whatever, get in bed.” Steve smiled and stripped down to his underwear, then happily got under the covers with Billy. 

Billy was wrapped around Steve, holding him close. He had missed this too. Billy was about to fall asleep before Steve pipped up, “Before I came to your window, I accidently knocked on Jonathan’s.” he said sheepishly.

“You’re an idiot.” Billy said fondly, giving Steve a kiss on his shoulder. 

“You’re not upset, are you?” Steve could feel Billy shrug.

“No. I’m surprised they haven’t figured things out already honestly.” 

“Well, they probably will put two and two together now.” 

Billy had definitely come a long way since they had first started this thing between them. Billy used to be hesitant to kiss Steve in his empty house, now here he is cuddling him, not worried that Steve may have just outed them. “Don’t worry about it, we’ll deal with it in the morning. Joyce is working so we can sleep in.” 

“Yeah, okay.” Steve turned around and gave Billy a final kiss goodnight before getting the best sleep he had in weeks. 

\---

The next morning Billy woke up to a knock on the door. He sprang up and saw that it was 11AM and the Byers’ family did not come to know Billy as someone that wakes up late. He pulls on some pants and looks over at Steve who is dead to the world. He throws some blankets over top of him because, old habits. 

Then he finally opens the door, not all the way, and Jonathan is on the other side. “Hey Billy. Just making sure everything is okay. You don’t usually sleep in this late.” 

“Yeah, just tired I guess.”

“Okay, sorry to bother you.” 

“No problem.” Billy said.

He was about to shut the door but then Steve wakes up and they both hear him say “Billy, what’s with all these blankets?” and Billy feels like he has to address the nearly naked Steve Harrington in his bed. 

Jonathan just says, “Uh, my mom isn’t home so you don’t have to worry about your, uh, overnight guest.” nodding to where he can see Steve sitting up, eyes wide and cheeks red, through the crack in the door. Billy can tell Jonathan is getting a kick out of this, could spot the smallest of grins breaking out onto his face.

“Yeah, thanks.” He said and shut the door. 

After a beat Steve said, “I guess now is a bad time to mention I have a terribly hard erection.” 

Billy looked at him annoyed, “What are you thirteen?”

“No! Sorry that biology just seems to work its magic after sleeping next to my hot boyfriend all night.” 

“Don’t flatter me pretty boy. I’m too worked up to deal with your dick right now.” 

“That seems like the perfect reason to deal with my dick actually.” Billy just groaned at that. “Look, last night you weren’t very worried about them figuring us out. I _cannot_ go out there like this. So, its either I just jerk off in front of you or you could help me out?” Steve said with a wink, pulling the covers aside, revealing exactly how hard his erection actually is. 

Billy is too much of a slut for Steve’s dick to ignore him so he just gets on the bed between his legs. Explaining nearly naked Steve could wait.

\---

Jonathan walked back into the living room, Nancy was still there after spending the night and they were finishing up breakfast. “Steve stayed the night.” he whispered to her.

Her eyes got big. “Oh my god, do you think?” she let the end of the sentence go unsaid. 

“They have to be more than friends.” He said, nodding along. 

“I can’t believe I didn’t see it. Steve snuck into Billy’s room in the middle of the night and I still didn’t think ‘oh they’ve got to be together’.”

“Yeah, I can’t believe you’re an investigative journalist.” He teased. 

She nudged him in the shoulder, "I was woken up in the middle of the night!" and then she switched subjects. “Do you think it will be weird? I mean, at least one of them is going to have to come out here and say something.” 

“I don’t know? I guess we’ll see.” Nancy nodded in return and they started cleaning up their dishes from breakfast. 

\---

After about thirty minutes that Jonathan had woken Billy up, they heard a door open, the bathroom door close and then Billy was walking out into the living room where Jonathan and Nancy were sitting on the couch. 

“Morning.” Billy greeted.

“It’s almost noon but good morning.” Nancy said. 

“Ha ha.” Billy snapped, but there was definitely less anger directed towards her than in the past. Billy went into the kitchen and started making a pot of coffee. A little bit after Billy made his appearance Steve came out of the bathroom. 

“Hey guys.” he said. He was much more put together than Billy looked, whereas Billy still looked like he just woke up, Steve was all dressed and hair was done, still had that air of confidence that never seemed to waver. He took a seat in a chair. “So, this is weird!” 

“A little.” Jonathan admitted. At that moment Billy came in a handed Steve a cup of a coffee before sitting down in a different chair. 

“So,” Billy started. “Steve and I are,” Billy waited a beat before saying “fucking.” 

“Dating!” Steve said along with him. 

“Both.” Billy said. 

“Oh, well, uh, for how long?” Nancy asked.

They watched Steve count on his fingers, “October, November, December…about five months.” 

“Well, thanks for telling us.” Jonathan said. 

“That’s it?” Billy asked incredulously. 

“What did you want us to say?” Nancy asked in return.

“I don’t know, I just figured it would be a bigger deal.” 

“Well, here’s another question, does anyone else know?” she asked.

“Joyce does.” Billy had told her after Steve and him had gotten together. She gave him a big hug and told him she thought that it was great. He cried because he had never gotten to tell a parent this thing about himself and their reaction was just joy. 

“Robin too.” Steve added. That one was simple, Steve was confused so he had gone to her for help, so of course she knew soon after they had finally made the big leap. “I guess it goes without saying that we don’t really want a lot of people to know though.”

“Of course!” Jonathan and Nancy said at the same time. “Not our business to share.” Jonathan said.

“So, I guess that really is it! See, that was easy Bills.” Steve leaned over and patted Billy on the shoulder.

“Ok, but one last question. What made you two get together?” 

Steve took that one, he knew Billy would not want to talk about his love life this in depth, especially not with his boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend. “It was just kind of a gradual thing. I think there was just this connection we discovered after everything that happened. Kind of like you guys I guess.” Steve suggested. Nancy and Jonathan looked at each other, a little guilty but mostly fond. 

“And you’re gay?” Nancy asked yet another question. 

“Nancy, stop being so nosy.” Jonathan interjected. 

“I’m bisexual. I like men and women.” Steve explained proudly. He didn’t have many opportunities to clarify his sexuality but he was glad when he could, to educate people about something he had no idea about before. 

“I’m gay.” Billy said after Steve. 

“Well, thank you for telling us and trusting us. We’re definitely like, cool with it.” Jonathan said, Nancy nodding in affirmation. 

Steve could tell the vulnerable moment was getting to Billy so he ended their little talk by suggesting Billy go get dressed so Steve could take him out for what was now lunch. After they left Nancy had one more comment, “I’m happy for them.” 

\---

Jonathan was never expecting Billy Hargrove to become a part of his family, but he was and it was the least surprising aspect of Billy. He was definitely not expecting Billy Hargrove to be part of his family and bring Steve Harrington along with him. Over time Steve started showing up more and more around the Byers' house, even joining along with Billy to help his mother with dinner or with things around the house. He was definitely never expecting that he would be lighting up with Steve Harrington as he occasionally joined along Billy and Jonathan’s smoke sessions. (Billy and Jonathan both made sure to have plenty of sessions that were just them.) Once they had came out to the kids, Steve could often be found with his arm around Billy or pressing a kiss to his cheek. It was all a little new to Jonathan, but it was nice. 

Nancy was surprised when she found herself carpooling to the Byers' with Steve, both going to see their respective boyfriends. Sometimes they both would head over there in the middle of night and it was nice to have someone to make the trip with. They both thought it was silly, but they were also glad they were at this new point in their relationship. Instead of wallowing on hurt feelings and guilt, they could move on and just be friends, be in each other’s corner again. 

Billy and Nancy were not friends, at least neither of them would ever admit it. Their conversations were unpleasant and filled with insults (Billy’s favorite seemed to be Nosy Nancy) but that was just how they communicated. Everyone knew that in reality they had each other’s backs. 

Billy himself never thought he would ever get to have any of it, a family, real friends, a boyfriend. All of them got to exist in one world without problem, in a world where people accepted him for who he was. He was the one most surprised by everything in his new life, but boy was he glad he had it.

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you enjoyed, i had fun writing this!
> 
> on tumblr @psychicwarfarebaby  
> on twitter @psykicbabe


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